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Prior Draft of Open East End Plan
=Recommendations and Concerns for the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board and Administration from the Open East End Panel= First draft: March 19, 2010. Updated on April 22, 2010. Definition of Terms: * CTE = Career and Technical Education. Once known as "Vo Tech" in the past. * PPS = Pittsburgh Public Schools, a school district with a larger annual budget than the City of Pittsburgh * IB = Intenational Bachalaraiate, an educational style with an international standard. Pittsburgh Public Schools opened a IB school for grades 6 to 10 in the fall of 2009 at Reizenstein. This school's name, as of December 2009, is Pittsburgh Obama Academy of International Studies. It will range in grades 6 to 12 in the next two years and comes in the wake of the closing of Schenley High School. * Schenley High School = a building in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh that was closed. The students from grades 10 to 12 were moved to Reizenstein in the fall of 2008. That school's program ends with the graduation in June of 2011. * Frick Middle School = a building in Oakland section of Pittsburgh that had middle school students, grades 6, 7 and 8. Frick had an international theme and those students and program moved to Reizenstein and is now a part of Pittsburgh Obama, 6-12. * Sci Tech, a school that now occupies the building once known as Frick. As of 2009-2010, the school ranges in grades 6, 7, 8 and 9 and will grow to house grades 6 to 12. Sci Tech is a city wide magnet. * U-Prep / Milliones = a school in the Hill District, behind the University of Pittsburgh, that was once a middle school and as of 2009-2010 is for students from grades 6, 7, 8 and 9. U-Prep / Milliones is slated to become a school that ranges from grades 6 to 12 by 2013. U-Prep is a city-wide magnet. * CAPA = Creative and Performing Arts school, located downtown, had been for grades 9 to 12. As of 2009-2010, the school expanded to handle grades 6 to 12. CAPA is a city-wide magnet. * Pittsburgh Obama = a city-wide magnet for grades 6 to 12 that uses IB educational system and is presently in Reizenstein, but might move to another location or not. * Peabody High School = a school on Highland Drive in East Liberty section of Pittsburgh that has been rumored to close in the future. Peabody is for students from grades 9 to 12. Peabody has a city-wide magnet for its robotics program. Robotics was once a part of Schenley High School. * Westinghouse High School, a modern school building for students from 9 to 12 in Homewood, one of the more depressed sections of the city. * Allderdice High School, a comprehensive school in Squirrel Hill neighborhood for students from grades 9 to 12. Allderdice has a city-wide magnet for engineering. * Rodgers Middle School = a now closed middle school that has merged into CAPA. In the past, Rodgers was a successful school depsite its location in Lincoln-Larimer section of the city. Rodgers was a city-wide magnet that attracted students from all sections of the city because of its strong programs despite its location. * OEEP = Open East End Pannel, a group of concerned citizens and educational professionals that authored a plan for Pittsburgh Public Schools. * DeJong = A group of consultants hired by Pittsburgh Public Schools to do facility research and offer recomendations. * IB Site Selection Committee = a group of citizens picked by the PPS Administration to consider the long-term home for the IB program as it was moved out of Frick Middle School and Schenley High School. Executive Summary: Time elements No new initiatives should be brought to a Board vote until there is widespread agreement that all stakeholders understand the proposals, the reasoning behind the proposals, and the alternatives to the proposals. Restated: * http://cmapspublic3.ihmc.us/rid=1H72VPZSS-1P61MYZ-FJL/Open%20Planning.cmap The district should not attempt to begin all or most programs by the 2011-2012 school year, but rather should roll changes out gradually. Restated: Executive Summary: Relationship elements The district should work to create schools that will attract a diverse student body. Restated: Executive Summary: Space elements The district should utilize the DeJong study fully, explain the reasoning behind the Reizenstein recommendation, and then obtain public input before making a decision on the location for the IB school. In addition the committee recommends that any renovations that would be made for the IB school at Peabody and at Reizenstein and the cost of such renovations be disclosed before a decision on the IB location is reached. Restated: Any renovations that would be made for the IB school at Peabody and at Reizenstein and the cost of such renovations should be disclosed before a decision on the IB location is reached. The district should provide information as to the job market data on which CTE recommendations are based and should offer CTE options for all students that are better aligned with preferences expressed by the community. Restated: The OEEP recommends that a career tech center be placed at Westinghouse High School with a frequent shuttle running to the East Busway. The district should provide a more detailed plan, including a facilities/administrative plan (how will CTE fit into the existing facility and overall school management) and a specific cost for CTE additions, be released with time for public input before presenting this plan to the Board regarding CTE programming at the University Prep and Science and Technology schools. Decisions on school day/year scheduling and the implications for CTE programming should be fully researched and vetted by the public before presentation to the Board. The OEEP recommends that Westinghouse remain a grade 9 - 12 school. The OEEP recommends that facilities for University Prep and Science and Technology be brought in line with the needs of a high school student population. Restated: The district should adopt an “all choice” model for students in the East region, providing them with the option to choose among any of the region’s non-magnet offerings. Restated: Background History In December 2009, the Pittsburgh Public Schools announced that annother panel had been created to offer advice on plans for schools in the “Lawrenceville to Homewood” region of the city. * Members of this panel failed to include individuals who had publicly challenged prior district initiatives. * Meetings of the PPS conveined panel were closed to the media, parents, teachers, and taxpayers. In response, two elected PPS board members, (Mark Brently and Randall Taylor), formed an “open” East End panel to investigate, consider and discuss the same issues considered by the district’s panel. Participants of the Open East End Panel (OEEP) met on four (cut) numerous occasions. Members of the OEEP toured the east end schools in question and attended the three public sessions that were orchestrated held by the PPS panel. Rapid Pace: Haste makes waste! The Open East End Panel is struck by the scope and speed of proposed changes for PPS students, especially in the eastern part of the city. * Career and Technical Education reorganization * New feeder patterns * Canges to school configurations ** Shifting to grades 6 to 12 for Westinghouse High School * Closing of Peabody High School * Merging Peabody students with Westinghouse and/or Milliones students * Starting of The “Big Picture” program that includes a new internship program * Year round school calendars at some locations * Longer school days at some locations * Separate boy and girl classrooms at some locations * Teacher Effectiveness initiative * Location uncertainty of the IB program * Location undertainty of the robotics program * New Keystone exams * Starting a social justice and leadership component at Westinghouse * Starting a Homewood Children's Zone and different levels of community involvement * Possible new location for credit recovery * Summer Dreams Camp replacing summer school for middle school students * Block scheduling at some locations * Changes in the Special Education program * New plans for facilities * Recruitment of nontraditional teachers * Curriculum changes * Move to “online” school libraries rather than libraries with printed books * Graduation for some after 3 years of high school * Graduation for others after 5 years of high school * Various mentoring programs Families and students are adjusting to and evaluating recent changes within the Pittsburgh Public Schools. * Formation of new schools ** Milliones ** Sci Tech ** IB (Pittsburgh Obama) ** Clayton/CEP * Closing of Schenley High School building * Phase out of Schenley student body * 6-12 grade configurations * many new principals * new magnet procedures * new courses ** African American literature and history that must be worked into schedules * requirements of the Pittsburgh Promise Limited public input prevails with PPS. Few sessions for public input and participation have been organized by the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Some public meetings occur, however, these sessions has been limited in many ways. Parents and students need time to learn about, understand and experience the new proposals. How the programs are to be implemented is not being conveyed. Citizens should be able to formulate possible adjustments to the PPS plans. The rushed process insures skeptical acceptance among students and the citizens for all new initiatives. Sadly, many of the new initiatives have advanced without broad public support. Expensive mistakes have been made and countless opportunities for educational enrichment have been squandered. Even board members have been caught unaware of many significant policy changes that have occurred in our schools. Implementation stumbles. The implementation of new initiatives requires time and detailed planning. Serious, system-wide changes take time to become rooted. In recent times with many instances, implementation has been a particular challenge for the district. * For example, at Milliones 134 students started grade 9 in the fall of 2008, but only 84 of these students entered the next grade in that school the following year. With better planning and implementation, the school might not have lost s gull third of those students. Strong enrollment occurs at schools that enjoy economic and racial diversity. Schools within the PPS with economically and racially diverse populations enjoy strong enrollment. The less diverse schools tend to be under enrolled. Research findings notes difficulties faced by schools with high concentrations of impoverished students. Students benefit when attending school where classmates differ. Special education students increase diversity in schools as well. However, the recent trend from PPS runs counter to this principle and in instances, with itself. The district's assertion states that "disparate programs" within a single building result in one of the programs being "less well served." So, theme schools have been formed. Botique schools give cause to wonder. Does it make sense to have a school with only IB students yet not have another school with only CTE students? Why can't a school have some IB students mixing with other CTE students? Many schools have some but not all students participate in CAS, AP or CTE programs with no apparent plans to move those students to separate schools. Even in the themed CAPA school, a wide achievement gaps prevail as a lower percentages of low income and African American students are within the "advanced" level at CAPA. With the proper management, students enrolled in various programs (CAS, AP and IB) can be well educated along with those who choose to participate in other programs. In school management matters greatly. Furthermore, most of all, schools should enjoy economic and racial diversity. By all accounts, do not create a school with an overwhelming majority of one economic and racial population segment. Reizenstein's revolving door The DeJong consultant recommended that the IB school remain at Reizenstein rather than move to Peabody. On the other hand, the PPS IB Site Selection Committee recommended the prior year that PPS should move the IB program from Reizenstein to Peabody. The reasoning behind the DeJong decision is unclear and absent to all who care to pay attention to the matter. Logic and closure is desired so that the program does not languish in limbo. Given that PPS paid $500,000 for the DeJong study and since the IB Site Selection Committee work was a monumental task of volunteers, resolution is desired. Both should be re-deployed to the scenes to determine if a consensus can be obtained. Neither were consulted together. Furthermore, program offerings at Pittsburgh Obama were ignored by DeJong's work. * The auditorium and gym at Reizenstein is without peeling paint, but its size is not suited for Varsity, JV and Middle School teams of both boys and girls each with competitions, Physical Education periods and the after school demands. DeJong owes the PPS insightful reasoning behind the rejection of a PPS Site Selection Committee. It is time to think again while considering all the issues. A solid recommendation can be obtained. Of course, the decisions about Reizenstein need to be put into the larger PPS context. * What of the expenses? ** How much as been spent on Reizenstein's re-opening so far? ** How much is the property at Reizenstein worth? ** How much in real estate taxes would be forthcoming to the city and district if the Reizenstein property is made taxable? ** How much of a rehab is needed to keep IB at Reizenstein? *** What is the cost of a second gym? *** What is the cost of a new auditorium? ** How much of a rehab is needed at Peabody to make it a 6-12 setting? * What about district programming directions? ** Will robotics move again, out of Peabody? ** Is the 6-12 model ideal for IB (Pittsburgh Obama)? ** etc. * Does the absence of natural light at Peabody and Reizenstein factor in whether families choose to send their children to those schools? ** Would windows make for better schools? ** How much does it cost to put natural light into those buildings? New PPS plans for Career and Technical Education do not sufficiently meet the criteria for a comprehensive overhaul of CTE programming. The Career and Technical Education (also called CTE) plan, published in 2010, involves the east end with: * consolidating the Culinary Arts and Health Sciences programs at Westinghouse; * discontinuing the Cosmetology program at Westinghouse; and * adding an Information Technology, Business and Finance program at Milliones. This is not a real overhaul, as dictated by the PPS School Board. The above CTE changes do not adequately reflect the preferences expressed by parents, students, teachers and community members as documented within the DeJong community dialogues. The top individual and online CTE choices at the dialogues were: * Engineering Technology and * Construction & Trades. * Group responses also included Health Sciences as a top choice. The plan for bio, computer, engineering and environmental technology is within the Sci Tech school. Those opportunities are limited and open only to the small number of students who get a lottery admission to the Sci Tech school. Among citizens, Consumer Services such as Culinary Arts were at the bottom of the list. Yet the District’s proposed triads put that at the top. No PPS plan provides for students in the east to participate in Construction Trades. Participants in the community dialogues requested that CTE offerings be based on sound research and projected demand for the skills in question. A career technology center has been a long-standing and strong preference for Pittsburgh's students, as expressed at the DeJong community dialogues. In 2010, the PPS asserts that a centralized CTE site is “an effective delivery model.” When South Vo Tech High School was closed, the PPS Board made a promise that a better school would come for those students who wish to be dedicated to that course of study. PPS asserts “capital costs exceeding $100 million are projected for such a facility” this assertion ignores the possibility of utilizing a facility already built, such as Westinghouse High School. The district observes that Westinghouse is in a “difficult” location. To address this issue, the panel recommends that a shuttle run throughout the day between the East Busway and Westinghouse. With safe transportation, a center devoted to high quality career technology could be expected to attract a diverse student body similar to the diverse student body CAPA attracted when it was located in Homewood. PPS should release a comprehensive budget for converting one of the PPS facilities that is already outfitted for CTE programming (i.e. Westinghouse or Peabody High Schools). A CTE school can be placed at Westinghouse High School with a frequent shuttle running to the East Busway. CTE PPS should provide specific cost information regarding CTE education of PPS students within suburban consortium schools, such as Forbes Road and Parkway West. Parkway West Career & Technology Center offers an impressive range of CTE for 12 suburban districts at one location. * Auto body repair, * automotive technology, * business technology, * carpentry, * computer technology, * cosmetology, * culinary arts, * digital multimedia technology, * drafting & design, * electrical construction maintenance, * health assistant, * HVAC/R, * information technology, * masonry, * public safety technology and * welding technology. Much of the $38 million mentioned in connection with the proposed CTE overhaul covers a renovation of Oliver High School. Oliver High School, under the district plan, might face an educational adjustment away from its present model with grades 9 to 12 so as to offer four new programs: * CTE, * early college program, * credit recovery program and a * reentry program. CTE funding should be spent specifically for CTE. The $38-million price tag is inflated and not the clear cost for CTE. * The PPS plans for CTE invokes Dr. Johnson Martin’s and Julia Stewart’s names in making its recommendations. But, PPS does not disclose the budgetary restrictions imposed that severely limited their recommendations. Time costs with middle-day student commuters The PPS plan for CTE includes a network of shuttle buses moving students in middle-of-day trips of up to 45 minutes in duration. The shuttle buses are needed with the PPS plan for CTE to bring students from their home school to a CTE school. While the district states that most respondents at the community dialogue found a 45-minute trip acceptable, it was not specified that the 45 minute travel time might be in addition to travel time at the beginning and end of the school day. Reducing instruction time by 45 minutes is counterproductive to bringing these students to proficiency. Students need more time in the classrooms, not in traffic and on buses among schools. Other Schools and CTE The District’s CTE plan impacts U-Prep/Milliones and Sci-Tech. * Both schools were opened within the last two years. * Teachers, parents and students are adjusting to a new environment, staff and administration. * Additional changes for CTE at the new schools would be burdensome. * Both schools were designed with a “college preparatory” focus. * Allderdice's engineering magnet does not want CTE's impact. * Extensive renovations (<$30 million) have occurred. ** The Sci-Tech school lost its auditorium for Early Childhood. ** How will space for the new CTE components of the school fit into a facility that is losing amenities due to lack of space? ** How much more funding will be required in order to add CTE programming? ** Will adding CTE programming dilute the mission of these schools? PPS Administrators need to generate a more detailed plan, including a facilities/administrative plan. Report on how CTE is to fit into the existing facilities and overall school management. Report upon the specific cost for CTE additions. Release details and generate wide awareness and discussions with public input before presenting a vote to the Board of Directors. Schedules and Calendars Decisions regarding the length of the school day and specific days of school each year impacts CTE programming. * Year round and extended day schooling has been suggested at various schools, especially at Westinghouse High School. * If other high schools in the district have a traditional school day and yearly schedules, then CTE programming that moves students among schools is impossible. Student can't participate in CTE programming housed at Westinghouse once different schedules are used. Summer vacations and breaks within the school year must be fully researched and vetted by the public before presentation to the Board. Clustering 6-12 schools, or nearby dumping? One of the strongest sentiments at community dialogs has been against schools with the 6-12 grade format. PPS has proposed reconfiguring Westinghouse High School, historically 9-12, to a 6-12 school. Westinghouse would be the fifth grade 6-12 school "between the rivers." None of the schools "outside the rivers" have been covered to this unpopular format. Leaving just one 9-12 high school between the rivers unduly limits students' options. Between the Rivers * U-Prep = grades 6-12 * Obama = grades 6-12 * Sci-Tech = grades 6-12 * CAPA = grades 6-12 * Westinghouse = (pending) grades 6-12 * Allderdice = 9 to 12 Outside the Rivers * Carrick = 9-12 * Brashear = 9-12 * Perry = 9-12 * Langley = 9-12 * Oliver = 9-12 Since most students from outside the existing Westinghouse feeder pattern would join at the 9th grade level, a 6-12 school would serve to reinforce their "outsider" status. Difference in facilities among those originally designed for middle school students versus those designed for high school students is significant. * The Science and Technology facility and Pgh Obama has no auditorium. * The gymnasium at University Prep is has seating for 50 or fewer spectators. * The classrooms at former middle school facilities are much smaller than at Peabody and Westinghouse. The former middle school facilities are limited and might not attract parents and students as high school facilities in the long run. The facility rehab for middle schools are much more extensive than what has transpired and what is ideal for high school students. Traditional, comprehensive high schools can be an option for all PPS students. Reserving the “traditional” option for students who live in certain parts of the city is inequitable. Some families prefer not to be among the trailblazers testing out new ideas. It is unreasonable to require a student to attend a specialized school that has an “all year round schedule” and/or “single gender classrooms” simply because of a one's feeder pattern. * If a school is over enrolled, a competitive standard could be utilized for admission. ** For example, 8th grade students with more than 25 days absent might not be permitted to attend a popular school with a waiting list. * A lottery could be held or programs adjusted in line with demand. The all choice model for high school selection would provide families with the widest possible options and wouldraise standards and increase competition among schools.